A judge ruled a former Harvard graduate student accused of killing an 18-year-old Cambridge resident in 2003 could not have his curfew lifted, his bail lowered or be allowed to travel outside of the state.

By Erin Smith

A judge ruled a former Harvard graduate student accused of killing an 18-year-old Cambridge resident in 2003 could not have his curfew lifted, his bail lowered or be allowed to travel outside of the state.

Alexander Pring-Wilson, who’s awaiting trial for the 2003 murder of Cambridgeport resident Michael Colono, wanted his bail lowered from $400,000 to $200,000. He also wanted to get rid of his 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. curfew and be able to travel home to see his family in his home state of Colorado.

But Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman said there was no reason to change Pring-Wilson’s bail or the conditions of his release while he awaits trial, especially since Pring-Wilson does not have a reason — such as a job — to break curfew.

In 2003, while walking home to Somerville after a night out at the bars, Pring-Wilson, reportedly drunk, became involved in a fight with Colono after the Cambridgeport resident allegedly began taunting him about his clothes and drunken state. During the altercation, Pring-Wilson pulled out a 4-inch knife and fatally stabbed Colono five times.

The case has become a lighting rod for debate on issues of race and class and the legal system.

Colono was a Latino prep-cook and father who dropped out of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. Pring-Wilson was a master’s degree candidate at Harvard for Russian and Eurasian studies at the time of the incident.

Pring-Wilson’s attorney, E. Peter Parker, said lifting his curfew would have helped Pring-Wilson in his job search.

“It’s difficult to have 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. [curfew] and work any fulltime job,” said Parker.

Parker said Pring-Wilson is currently unemployed but looking for work in “construction, whatever he can get.”

Pring-Wilson was previously working in retail for a few months, according to Parker.

Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Lynch argued Pring-Wilson should not be allowed to travel because he was a flight risk and probation officials said they would not be able to track him through his cell phone GPS monitor if he were allowed to travel outside the state.

“All we can do is issue a warrant and go through the process of bringing him back from another state,” said Joseph Centrella, first assistant chief probation officer.

Parker argued that Pring-Wilson would not run from the law because his girlfriend of four years recently moved to Massachusetts.

“He’s a mouse click away with his picture all over the Internet,” said Parker. “The thought that he could flee and disappear is a very difficult concept to believe.”

Parker said Pring-Wilson is currently living with his girlfriend in Massachusetts. Parker would not say where they are living but conceded it’s not in Cambridge.

In October 2005, Pring-Wilson was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced him to six to eight years in prison. Pring-Wilson claimed he acted in self-defense when he killed Colono during a late-night fight at Pizza Ring on Western Avenue in 2003.

In March, the Supreme Judicial Court upheld a lower court decision that overturned that conviction and ruled Pring-Wilson should be granted a new trial where he will be allowed to submit evidence regarding the criminal pasts of Colono and his cousin, Samuel Rodriguez. Rodriguez was involved in the fight.

In 2001, Colono was charged with possession of crack cocaine after becoming irate at Hi-Fi Pizza on Mass. Ave., where he allegedly shattered the front door while police tried to take him outside.

The SJC ruling said this evidence is now admissible in self-defense arguments, regardless of whether Pring-Wilson knew about Colono’s prior violent acts. At issue in the new trial will be whether jurors believe Pring-Wilson started the fight that led to Colono’s death.